Burial box



Ap 3, 1934. A; J. i' DHuNTER BURIAL B051 Filed March 21, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. flrllt'ur 75% an fer BY m J G Q ATTORNEY April 3, 1934. A. J. TODHUNTER BURIAL BOX Filed March 21, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N\ mm M i mm F m Wm wm \m mm w \N E IN VEN TOR. Qflrfltur Ed hunter.

N o BY W (Ii TTORNEY Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UITEDE STATE-S TENT OFFICE Application March 21, 1932, Serial No. 600,111

Claims.

- 19 most soils.

Another object is to provide a novel construction for a burial box and which enables it to support the weight of the soil resting thereupon without likelihood of damage resulting to the burial box or the coffin contained therein.

A further object is to provide a novel means for establishing an air and water tight seal between the body of the burial box and the closure members therefor, so as to prevent entrance to the burial box of gases, fluids, or other deleterious materials which might have a tendency to injure the coffin or its contents.

Other objects, advantages, and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description, and

" the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in a form I at present deem preferable. Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a burial 9 box constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal, medial sectional view taken upon line 3-3, Fig. 2,

looking in the direction of the arrows. Portions of the figure are broken away to contract the view.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken upon line 4-4, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the 9 arrows.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental detail view upon enlarged scale taken upon line 55, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The burial box-of my invention comprises a unitary elongate tubular structure indicated in its entirety at 6, having a body 10, the open ends '7 and 8 of which are adapted to be respectively closed by means of heads or closure members 9 and 11 which may be removably attached upon the tubular structure 10 substantially as illustrated in the drawings. The tubular structure 10 is proportioned so that it is adapted to receive a coffin after which the body is closed. The members 9 and 11 when secured in closing position by 5 means hereinafter to be described establishes a fluid and air tight seal between the end members and the body member and thereby preserves the contents of the burial box from the deleterious effects of the fluids contained in most soils.

The body member 10 comprises a bottom 12, 6 side walls 13 and 14 and an arched top 16, preferably the side walls 13 and 14 are rabbeted at their lower and upper edges 17 and 18 to the bottom 12 and the top 16 respectively, and a suitable adhesive is employed to establish a tight joint between the parts thus connected. If the bottom, side walls or top is composed of more than one piece the consistent parts thereof are preferably similarly united as indicated at 19, the purpose being to provide a unitary fluid tight structure possessed of great strength and adapted to resist entrance of all deleterious fluids and other materials to its interior, after the heads 9 and 11 have been secured in closing position.

In order to enhance the inherent strength of the burial box I have provided novel means for supporting the top 16 and such weight as may be imposed thereupon, such as the earth or soil resting upon and covering the box after burial. For such purpose, I have provided a plurality of 3 transverse extending strips 21 disposed at spaced intervals throughout the length of the bottom 12. Preferably strip 21 coincides in length to the distance between the innerfaces of the side walls 13 and 14 as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Uprights 35 22 extend upwardly from each end of each transverse strip 21, and are disposed against the innerfaces of the side walls 13 and 14., so that the uprights 22 are arranged in pairs with the uprights of each pair disposed in opposed relationship. As- 9 sociated with the upper end of each pair of uprights 22 is a transversely extending beam 23, the ends of which rest upon the upper ends of the associated uprights 22. In its preferred form the top 16 is arched in cross-sectional configuration 9 substantially as illustrated in Fig. 4. The top 16 rests along its side edges upon the upper edges of the side walls 13 and 14, whereas, the central portion of the top 16 is supported between the transversely extending beams 23, the upper surfaces 1 24 of which conform to the surfaces of the top 16 so as to afford the maximum supporting effect for the top, thus it may be seen that a relatively great weight may be imposed upon the top 16 without producing a tendency for the top to cave in and 10 without imposing any weight whatsoever upon a coffin (not shown) adapted to be contained within the burial box. This follows from the fact that the weight transmitted from the top 16 to the beams 23 is in turn transmitted to the uprights 22 and thence by way of the transverse strips 21 to the bottom 12, thereby making an inexpensive construction.

In order to facilitate entry of a casket into the tubular structure from the open end thereof, I provide upon the bottom 12, a plurality of longitudinal extending strips 26 the upper edges of which lie flush with the upper surface of the transverse strips 21. The heads 9 and 11 whereby the ends of the body member 10 may be closed are each preferably provided upon the inner face with a shoulder 31 spaced inwards from the peripheral edge thereof. This shoulder is adapted to sit within the interior of the tubular structure as illustrated in Fig. 3 so as to hold the head accurately in registry with the remainder of the parts. A transverse strip 21, a pair of uprights 22 and a transverse beam 23 are disposed adjacent each end 7, 8 of the body portion 10 and are spaced a slight distance inward from each respective end so as to form a flange surface and permit entry of the shoulder 31 and to support on the flange surface a compressible gasket 32 which is imposed between and engaged by the head and the proxij A nut 34 and preferably a washer 36 secures the closure member tothe end of the body member. The nuts 34 when tightened force the heads 9 and 11 onto their respective gaskets 32 and thereby establish a highly eiiicient fluid and air tight joint between the heads and the body member.

Each of the stay-bolts 33 has its inner end anchored within the tubular structure 6 by being threaded into a nut 37 which is disposed within a recess 38. A plurality of these recesses 38 are I formed in the tubular structure 6 adjacent the ends thereof and opening into the interior so that the nuts 37 may be inserted into the recess 38 from the inside of the tubular structure, after which they are threaded onto bolts 33 extended through holes 39 and then said nuts are preferably secured in position by means of any suitable self-hardening material 40, such as cement. This holds nuts 38 so that they are prevented from turning as the nuts 34 are threaded onto bolts 33. I prefer that all portions of the burial box which are exposed to the soil within which it is to be buried, to-wit, the body portion 10 and the heads 9 and 11 be composed of redwood, inasmuch as this material is particularly effective in resisting decay.

It is believed that the method of operation of my improved burial box will be readily understood from the above description of its construction. Owing to the unitary construction of the body portion 10 and another fact that the heads 9 and 11 may be fastened. to the ends '7 and 8 respectively, thereof after a coffin has been inserted into the tubular structure with the joint between the heads and the tubular structure establishing a fluid tight seal all possibility of entrance of deleterious fluids to the interior of the burial box is precluded; moreover the ability of the burial box to protect the coffin and its contents from the ravages of time, extended over a maximum period by constructing the burial box of redwood owing to the peculiarity of this particular material which enables it to resist decay for long periods of years even when buried in moist soil and under other adverse conditions.

In practice the body member 10 may have one end or closure member secured thereto so that the burial box 6 is presented with only one open end through which a casket, not shown, may be inserted into the tubular body portion of the burial box, and then an end or closure member slipped onto the protruding bolts 33, and by tightening the nuts 34 associated with bolts 33, so as to compress the closure member against the compressible gasket 32, the burial box is effectively sealed with a minimum amount of labor at the point of burial.

It is to be understood that any desired number of bolts 33 may be used and also any desired number of uprights 22 and beams 23 may be used without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a burial box, a body member having a closed end and an open end, said body member being adapted to receive a coflin therein; uprights disposed at spaced intervals along said member, transversely extending beams resting upon and supported at their ends upon the upper ends of said uprights; and a closure member for said open end.

2. In a burial box, an elongate body member having a bottom, side walls and a top; a member closing one end of said body member; uprights disposed at spaced intervals along said side walls; transversely extending beams supporting said top and being supported at its ends upon the upper ends of said uprights; there being uprights and a transversely extending beam adjacent one end of said body member and adapted to form a flange surface; a compressible member; and a closure member closing the other end of said body member and adapted to compress said compressible member upon said flange surface to form a fluid tight joint.

3. In a burial box, a body member adapted to receive a coffin therein, and comprising a bottom, side walls, and a top; transverse strips disposed upon said bottom at spaced intervals throughout the length thereof, an upright extending upwards from each end of said transverse strips and disposed against the associated side wall, and a beam resting upon and supported at its ends upon the uprights associated with each of said transverse strips, said top being supported upon said side walls and said beams; and closure members for the ends of said body member.

4. In a burial box, a body member adapted to receive a cofiin therein and comprising a bottom, side walls and a top, uprights disposed at spaced intervals along said walls, and transversely extending beams resting upon and supported at their ends upon the upper ends of said uprights and supporting said top; closure members adapted to close the ends of said body member; a gasket interposed between each of said closure members and the associated end of said body member; and means for forcing said closure members onto said gasket to establish a fluid tight seal between the closure members and said body member.

5. In a burial box, a body member having open ends and adapted to receive a cofiin therein; and comprising a bottom, side walls and a top, uprights disposed at spaced intervals along said side walls and supported at their lower ends upon said bottom, transversely extending beams supported at their ends upon the upper ends of said upsaid nuts and extending from the associated end of said body member and through the associated closure member; a self hardening material in said recesses and surrounding said nuts, and means engaging each of said stay-bolts to secure said closure members to said body member.

ARTHUR J. TODHUNTER. 

